Headlice

[Cxm1]

Their is a child in my LG class who is clearly being neglected. She comes to school filthy and is spoken to/treated awfully and her mum has already had a child took off her previously before this one was born. She is so riddled with headlice they run all over the top of her hair instead of hiding like headlice tend to do, they drop out of her hair with the slightest movement and she is covered in sores and scabs from where she is scratching or where the lice are feeding.

My LG has had them 8 times now in the space of 4 month, her hair is always tied up but it is so bad I have seen this child jumping next to my LG and loads of lice falling from her hair into my little ones!

My LG has super thick and super long blonde hair down to her calves, I know all children will get them and im fine with that but It is becoming a joke now my poor girl has to sit for hours on end with a sore neck and I have to take time out of spending quality time with her doing fun things just to get rid of them for her to catch them again.
I have spoken to the school and they send letters out, I don't know what they do behind the scenes but I honestly dont know how social are involved and I feel like they are failing the children in the class but especially that poor little one.

I have took my LG out of school until action is taken because myself and all other parents believe it is so bad that the school should not allow her back until her lazy neglectful mother does her hair because it will never be sorted otherwise! I am home schooling my little one until I have a meeting with the headteacher to see what can be done because it is becoming too much it is not fair on my lg, the other kids but especially that poor little girl.

My daughter does not want to cut her hair off and quite frankly she shouldnt have to she loves her princess hair and she is complimented on it wherever we go but I feel like its gunna get to that stage because her mum just wont do her hair :(

When its so bad do the school have the authority to stop the child coming to school until their parents take action?

[MrsPreston11]

Surely the lice should be the least of the schools worries for this poor thing?

I really really hope the school are doing something.

Do you know the mothers name/address? As I'd be phoning SS myself and saying the girl isn't being looked after well.

Really feel for you and your DD too, but the poor child, this shouldn't have gone on so long. 4 months your DD has been catching lice form her and the neglected child is still not getting help. Just heartbreaking.

[MrsPreston11]

I also think maybe school would rather she was in as it means she gets fed and looked after while there.

If I was her teacher I'd be wanting to wash her clothes and hair myself (I'm not a teacher so I have no idea what is and isn't allowed though.

[Lisamx1]

I know its her who I feel most sorry for! I really do hope school are monitoring and no unfortunately I don't. I totally get that but I honestly don't know what else to do I just dont see why my little one should have to constantly suffer plus not to mention the cost of having to constantly buy treatments cause the one you get for free doesnt seem to work and my little ones hair is so long and thick I need a few bottles to treat it. I've took her out of school in the hope it forces them to do something but if not she's just gunna have to keep suffering and cut off her beautiful hair which she would be so upset about. I know the 'nit nurse' doesnt exist nowadays but it is so clear no one is ever gunna treat her hair I honestly thought they would have just had the schools nurse treat her by now with the mums permission but still nothings been done and its been like this since the first day my little one started

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

You could probably report to SS with just name and school name tbh

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Although she's probably already known to SS

[ReadingRiot]

As PP says this is one of those situations where the school appears to do "nothing" because making her stay at home is the very worst thing that could happen to her.

Headlice for your daughter are annoying but school are doing their best for the other girl, who needs them more than your daughter does.

[Yummy274]

When we were young and school nurse checked us regularly and if we had headlice we were sent home or parent was phoned to make sure it is dealt with even if we had to take a day off school. Have same problem with my DD's year. I'm sure things are being dealt with but they end up getting them atleast every 3-4 months. School knows who it is but can't directly call the parent out and seems like she ignores the letters given out, this law they can't name and shame the parent is ridiculous. Costs me £30 every time on 2 bottles to treat DD's and myself.

There should be a national check and treat weekend where all parents check their kids hair and treat if necessary. Only way to ensure it's eradicated. Otherwise by the time one parent realises their kids got it they have already re infested other kids who have been dealt with. Can't seem to get off this merry go round

[ReadingRiot]

The school can speak directly to the parent and probably have. In this example, insisting he child stays at home would not be desirable.

[Xmasbaby11]

My dd is prone to headlice. We keep her hair tied back tightly e.g. in bun and use prevention spray - it seems to be working.

Ankle length hair sounds extremely long - I don't envy you!

[FatBarry]

You sound very self centred. The poor little girl needs more than nit lotion by the sounds of it. I highly doubt any school allows a child to have bugs dropping from their hair without SS already being involved.

I would be more concerned about this child's welfare than home schooling my princess haired daughter

Does your little one really have hair to her calves?

[Naty1]

I agree would definitely cut your dd hair. As your dd is probably unfortunately infesting others. Plus the cost/time of treating.
I do think carpet time etc is probably part of the cause of this.

[Mumtofourandnomore]

I have to say that most primary schools are plagued with head lice - regardless of whether or not the children are neglected or not. I have two dds, both had really long hair and in the end we cut their hair much shorter, as well as using plaits and nit prevention spray. So although I agree that it is really frustrating to have a child in your class with permanent nits, if it wasn’t her, it would still be somebody less obvious. I think it would be unfair to send this child home, and if she’s filthy and neglected there is zero chance that her parents will sort out nits - poor child.

[Nje1]

I'm sorry but you sound very self centred. Yes it's annoying about catching headlice over and over again. But there's clearly a girl suffering at the centre of all this, with headlice being the least of her worries. Contact social services about her and stand up for when no one else is.

[greenbean007]

Headlice is probably the least of that child’s worries. Some children don’t get fed and have a bed to sleep on. School’s can’t send children home for headlice, it’s called discrimination. They should ring home and tell the parents to treat the child though. If it’s an ongoing issue then it should be raised as a concern with the safeguarding lead at that school. It is frustrating but to keep your child off because of it is ‘cutting your nose off to spite your face’ How can you say the school are failing her when you admit you don’t know what goes on behind the scenes?

[MM5]

Do you REALLY believe that the school is not doing all it can do?

Do you really believe that they choose to ignore?

It is highly likely that the child and family are under social services in some form. The school can only refer and then social services decides if they will do something.

At my school, we have made numerous referrals for a particular family that have persistent head lice. That alone does not get support.

In addition, we can only send home letters. We can’t send them home for head lice and refuse entry into school.

So, you demanding something be done and refusing sending your child to school will not achieve anything and just waste the time of the school.

Seriously, think about this. The head lice may be the least of that child’s problems!